IEEE is working on new standard
 
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The second solution is an updated 802.11b standard that provides the authentication and encryption services required for secure wireless networking. The scope of IEEE's 802.11b Task Group I is "to enhance the 802.11 Medium Access Control to enhance security and authentication mechanisms." One solution is referred to as "generic composition," and combines proven methods for encryption, such as Counter - Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with proven methods for authentication, such as Cipher Block Chaining. By "authentication" it refers to what Phillip Rogaway of University of California,Davis, calls a "message integrity code" or a "message authentication code." This refers to the process of authenticating each message, not just the user.
One of the most promising things to come out of IEEE's July meeting in Portland, Ore., was its consideration of Rogaway's OCB (Offset Codebook), which uses a 128-bit AES block cipher with 128-bit keys to provide for message authentication as well as encryption with a processing overhead close to that of encryption alone. At press time, OCB-AES128 was the only mechanism being considered by IEEE in its latest revision of the 802.11b standard, although industry leaders are exploring other "generic composition" alternatives. While the patented OCB requires a minimal usage fee, OCB is about twice as fast as the alternatives. OCB's edge in speed is impressive, but it matters less with more powerful hardware that's able to keep up with the competition's requirements.
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Janss is the president of Jansys Information Systems, a consulting firm specializing in IS technologies for small businesses. He can be reached at bizcom@jansys.com.
Wireless LAN security
The IEEE 802.11b Task Group I is working on a new standard that provides authentication and encryption for secure wireless networking. In the meantime, proprietary products that plug the holes in 802.11b security may be your best bet.
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